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Special Ides of March Update

We’re fans of Scriptnotes, so when we heard a recent episode about how they approach outlines and treatments, we decided that our Patreon bonus content for this month would be a chat about how we write scripts here at Jabberwocky Audio Theater. That joins over 20 pieces of bonus goodies our Patrons enjoy as a thank you for helping keep us on the air.

For those of you listening in to the podfeed, we dropped another one of our off-season JAT Jots. In this one, we actually explain the inspiration behind the Rogue Tyger character Lady Shohreh. Some of you may have already figured it out, but there is a twist!

Finally, for those of you who are subscribed to our mailing list, you’ll start seeing some links to some indie creators you might want to check out while you avoid large gatherings. It’s not just for Caesars any more!

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Mythology, Mind’s Eye, and JAT

We’re deep into pre-production for our 2020 season starting in May. We’ll be starting with more entries in our anthology series Through the Looking Glass.

Like a lot of kids, my brothers and I were into mythology. And we didn’t just stop with the standard Greek, Egyptian, Norse myths a lot of people are exposed to either. Thanks to our parents –and a fortuitous global mythology series being published at the time– we learned about folklore from all different parts of the globe.

There’s another shelf with a lot more fairy tale books. And I group Yeats with mythology for reasons.

For those of you who support us on Patreon, check out this post and learn more about some of the mythology and folklore that influences the series, a little more about The Mind’s Eye radio company, and weigh in on what stories you’d like to hear both this year and in future years! Thanks for your support.

Bjorn Munson
Artistic Director
Jabberwocky Audio Theater

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Listen Online! JAT Chat # 6 – August 2019

Bjorn and Bill talk about the end of season, two of Rogue Tyger, some of the shows coming up for the rest of the year and 2020 as well as pause to ask for your help in keeping all this audio theater going.

Rated AD-G (Audio Drama “G”)

Length: 12:34

Rated AD-G, because we’re basically just talking.

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“That’s what the kaoliang is for!”

Twelve years ago, I had an idea for what became Jabberwocky Audio Theater.

Eleven years ago, I knew the first show to kick it off: a space opera based on a fictional setting I’d been toying with since 1998. A pilot script was written. Auditions were held and a great cast assembled. “The Pilot” was recorded. More scripts were written. More recording. A lot of life happened in-between with plenty of starts and stops. However, as they say, theater is life with the boring bits cut out. So let’s deal with the now.

It’s twelve years later and the last episode of Rogue Tyger, episode 30, is done. It’s all ready to be broadcast and podcast starting Sunday, August 4th.

Those of you who listen to Rogue Tyger know that the fictional Tyger crew will kick back with a glass or several of kaoliang, a very real distilled liquor made from sorghum.

When I decided that the crew, and especially Enling, would favor this drink, I naturally had to do some research. The bottle you see above is one of the results of that research. Listeners more familiar with gaoliang –or baijiu in general– can let us know if this is a popular brand or not (it’s what was at a local liquor store that actually stocked baijiu). One of my happiest moments in writing “The Pilot” was confirming that people will drink shots of kaoliang chilled, and so I kept that scene with Aidan and Enling in the script. It’s always nice when things that work dramatically can reflect what’s been done culturally.

And now, these many years later, we’re at the final steps of that journey of so many miles. I’m absolutely ecstatic about what we’ve been able to do with this first show… and so it seemed more than appropriate to celebrate the way the crew of the Tyger would. I hope you all listen in to the season finale on August 4th and, should you care to, enjoy some kaoliang (though I have to caution you from personal experience: not being a Spacer, I’m still getting used to the taste).

干杯 ( Gānbēi !)

Bjorn Munson
Deepest Springfield, July 2019

Yeah that’s a paper towel to keep my hand from freezing. It’s not like I’m Tinker who can hold ice-cold bottles without a problem… Plus, robots don’t drink kaoliang (mostly).
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Last Day for Our Summer Reading Giveaway

Jabberwocky Audio Theater is joining other writers and artists for a Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Bundle Giveaway now through –TODAY– July 12th.

For this past week, I also took the opportunity to talk about science fiction and fantasy books that have influenced me through the years, including a few that aren’t in the bundle, Here’s the list:

Now, you’ll notice I covered several books that aren’t in the Bundle. That’s because we all had suggestions and I lot of the other writers and artists suggested works that I would love to read. So, I definitely hope one of you reading this now wins the book bundle, but if not, there’s a bunch of selections to check out at your local library. Remember, the giveaway ends later today!

~Bjorn Munson, Jabberwocky Audio Theater

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Summer Reading Giveaway: The Sparrow

Jabberwocky Audio Theater is joining other writers and artists for a Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Bundle Giveaway now through July 12th.

I’m also taking the opportunity to talk about science fiction and fantasy books that have influenced me through the years, including a few that aren’t in the bundle (I’ve covered about all of the ones that are).

Yesterday, I talked about The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. Le Guin. It’s a book that has worldbuilding, sure. It has interesting characters, certainly. But it really makes one think when it comes to how differently people may think and how cultures can be formed around those lines.

As you might imagine, my background in anthropology means I was all into that (and arguably I became interested in anthropology, in part, because of such stories).

So it probably comes as no surprise that one of my favorite science fiction books is written by an anthropologist: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. It’s a novel about first contact where you know, from the very beginning, things went horribly, horribly wrong. The story bounces between the lead up to the expedition to the debriefing of the sole survivor. Because it’s weighty and well-researched and philosophical, the usual gang of snobs were desperate for it not to be “science fiction” because they (gasp) enjoyed it too much. I won’t link to the Wikipedia article itself, because it reveals why it’s called The Sparrow and, for me, the reveal of why the book is called that is one of its best moments. And the novel is full of great moments, in part because of the characters: wonderfully ingenious, emotional, imperfect characters.

While The Sparrow isn’t part of this book bundle, it’s easy to track down a copy, possibly at your local library. For the book bundle itself, remember, it ends tomorrow, July 12th.

~ Bjorn Munson, Jabberwocky Audio Theater

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Summer Reading Giveaway: The Dispossesed

Jabberwocky Audio Theater is joining other writers and artists for a Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Bundle Giveaway now through this Friday, July 12th.

I’m also taking the opportunity to talk about science fiction and fantasy books that have influenced me through the years, including a few that aren’t in the bundle (I’ve covered about all of the ones that are).

So, yesterday, I talked about The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis and how it blends worldbuilding (albeit mainly the past world) along with insights in human nature. I know I’m not the only one who loves how science fiction can use its settings and fantastical conceits (e.g. faster-than-light travel, time travel, telepathy) to explore and comment on the human condition (sometimes with non-human characters).

A lot of the settings allow one to create societies that are different, yet recognizable and therefore allow you to find no end of “what if?” scenarios. That’s a great lead in to The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. Le Guin. Le Guin manages to make one ponder human nature, desires, and ways of thinking by giving you just the right amount of writing that your brain eagerly fills in the cracks. The novel also plays with time to a great degree, popping between the two planets of the narrative in an artful way. And it gives us the ansible, which does for faster-than-light communications what the warp drive does for starships. (A form of ansible is used in the universe of Rogue Tyger).

Again, The Dispossessed is not in this particular book bundle, but there’s a bunch of wonderful novels that follow in its thought-provoking footsteps. The giveaway ends on Friday, July 12th.

~Bjorn Munson, Jabberwocky Audio Theater